Life Is Bittersweet (On Hiatus)
by Jenasisity
Summary: Leonardo has to choose between one brother and another...but before he can, one chooses for him. (Eventually gonna be a Three-Shot! Rated as it is just to be safe. 2003 Series?)
1. Life Is Bittersweet

**Disclaimer: *Searches through filing cabinet, throwing files every which way before sighing* Nope, nothing here saying I have any ownership over any turtles...*whimper***

 **Another side story I did in about 30 minutes. Just a plot bunny after I watched the last cliff scene from the movie "The Good Son".**

 **Please enjoy!**

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It had started out as a wonderful night, no Foot or Purple Dragon ambushes or fights and he and his brothers had all but been flying around each other and over obstacles, just enjoying each other's company and the free night off as it had seem then. But of course it had to end. Everything has to at one point or another, but Raph serious would have liked to end the night by heading home, seeing a night full of laughs and quality time with his brothers ahead of them, he didn't really envision the situation they were in right now as a option to ending off the night earlier that day, or the possibility of that it could end both his and his brother's lives as well. Leonardo was directly above them, sprouting off nonsense like he had just planned all this stuff to happen, like it was all part of the plan all along. He made it sound as if it was just another inexplicable training exercise Leo managed to prepare them for, in case the possibility of this really happening to them in the future arose. Only it wasn't a training exercise, and it really was happening. Here he was, dangling off the side of a seventeen story high building, his youngest brother right there beside him.

They would have been goners hadn't Leo actually had the luck of grabbing not only one, but both of his brother's wrists before they had completely gone over the edge of the roof. Donnie was right behind Leo, holding off the rest of the remaining ninja, nothing he couldn't handle, but he was also in no place to help his three other siblings at this point in time either, and did Raphael mention Leo's grip was beginning to falter? Yeah, because it was, for both himself and Michelangelo. Raphael also knew that Leo couldn't keep this up forever either. There was four ways this could end. Two very probable ones. One: Leo could pull both of them up, with or without Donnie's help. Both where highly unlikely, for Donnie was still busy at the moment and Leo had spent all his energy on his own battle with the Elites, who had, Raph had just noticed now, mysteriously disappeared, for Leonardo was still fighting when he had happened to grab ahold of them. The second: Leo could end up losing his grip on both his little brothers. That one was indeed very, _very_ likely.

Or he could let one go. Raphael knew that was the best solution, even though it was one he knew Leo would never take. Though it was worth a shot he guessed. He knew he was going to lose his life one way or another tonight and had already came to terms with it.

"Leo…" Raph trailed off at first, not really knowing how to say what he wanted to say. He couldn't very well just come out and say 'drop me.' Then he actually swung there for a moment and pondered that. Leo just might actually be stunned enough to do just that if he said it without any prior warning, then shook his head of the ridiculous thought. If he did that then he might drop Mikey too and that was out of the equation.

"Raph, Mikey, just hold on," Leo growled, his arms shaking with the will to pull them both to safety.

"Nothing else to really do, bro," Mikey laughed shakily. Raph glanced over to him, only to find Mikey looking down at the drop below. He swung towards him, bumping him, making Leo give a shout of warning as they slipped even further.

"Sorry Leo; Mikey, don't look down, you idiot!" He called to their little brother. He knew the uneasiness well enough, for Raph had done the same exact thing when he had first gone flying off the edge of the building. It didn't help, not in the least.

"Leo…Leo…" Damn his emotions, he hated to put Leo and Mikey in this position, knowing they both would feel mortified after it was all over. But Raphael knew he had to do it…and they wouldn't understand, so he just went for it, knowing the shock it would have on both his brothers within earshot, "Leo, let go." And a shock it did have indeed.

"W-What? Raph, no!" Leo cried, starting to try to pull them up farther. Raph could have sworn he felt something in his chest break when Leo gave an angry exclamation as he collapsed over the edge again. Mikey was stunned into silence as he looked wide-eyed to his older brother beside him.

"Raphie…n-no, you can't!" He whimpered as the initial shock passed. Raphael risked another look to his brother beside him and seeing his tear swimming baby blues quivering back at him felt his heart break even further as he diverted his eyes up to Leo, who was decking him with one hell of a glare, but Raph saw the way he was shaking too, not only from the physical strain, but also emotion now as well, so Raph pushed on, trying to reason with his older brother.

"Leo, just let go. It's the only way you can pull Mikey up!"

"No! I won't save one brother only to lose another! I'll pull you both up, just hang on!" Leo growled, as his eyes started to shine as well. Raph looked up to him sadly.

"Leo, you know as well as I do that that's not possible, you're all out of energy. If you don't let one of us go, then you're gonna lose both of us and we both know none of us could ever let Mike go, so that leaves me, so just let go-," Raph couldn't finish the sentence before Leo cut him off, Raph glared with sorrow and rage at the detailed bricks that was level with his eyes when he heard his eldest brother's voice shake at his next sentence.

"NO! I'm not going to drop you and that's final, Raphael!" A wet droplet hit his cheek and Raph looked up to find Leo's dark blue eyes glassy with tears. His own golden orbs softened.

"Leo, please…you can at least save one of us," By this point, Mikey's body beside him was shaking with sobs, but Raph kept his eyes glued to Leo's, "Leo, just let go." He whispered a second later and Leonardo choked on a sob above him.

"I-I can't," Leo's voice broke as he whispered wretchedly back.

"Leo… _please_ , you have to let me go," Raph begged and blinked away the blur his eyes started to developed when Leo choked on another sob and buried his head in his arm, shaking his head back and forth repeatedly.

"Raph…Raphie, I _can't_ …I don't want to live a future without you, I _can't_ live a future without you by my side!" Leo moaned from the fold in his arm, his body shaking with his cries. Raph had nothing to say to that, his mind coming to a blank at his brother's broken response.

"Leo, I'm sorry," He finally decided with as he let go of Leo's wrist, also diverting his gaze. Leo wailed as he felt Raph slip further, tightening his own grip to where it promised to be painful for Raph.

"NO! R-Raph, hold on to me! Raph!" Leo cried out loudly as he sobbed. Raph winced at the pain his brother was causing his wrist, but didn't reply, only started to wiggle around, trying to get his brother's grip to slip.

"RAPHIE, STOP! Please, STOP!" He heard his baby brother's wailing voice shriek from the left of him, but ignored it as well, not stopping in his fight with his older brother's hand.

"Guys, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Raph whispered, his only reply were increased exclamations from both above and aside him. He was getting nowhere with struggling, so he took it a step even farther. Reaching up with his one free hand, he started to pry Leo's fingers apart.

"RAPH, NO! _Stop, please stop_!" Leo screamed from above him as his grip tightened further if that was even possible, but Raph was relentless.

"Shh, it'll be okay. It is going to be okay," He continually whispered to both brothers as he worked on Leo's grip. Mikey was crying hysterically beside him and Leo was still sobbing above him, when Raph remembered a disarming technique their father had taught them, not a week ago. Slowly he moved his hand from Leo's fingers to his wrist as he grabbed it again, but Leo immediately knew he wasn't grabbing to help hold himself, the grasp was wrong first off, secondly, Raph eyes bore into Leo's, showing his tear filled eyes woven with regret and sorrow.

"I'm so sorry Leo, please forgive me. I love you guys, I love you guys so much," Was the only warning Leonardo ever got before Raph used the pressure point in his wrist. His grip faltered for only a second. But a second was all Raph needed, for his hand slid free of Leo's and he fell backwards into air.

Raph kept his gaze on his brothers through his freefall. He saw Leo's face flash in understanding horror and fear the millisecond after his grip loosed. He saw Leo's eyes widened, mixed with dread and trepidation as he couldn't avert his eyes from his imitate younger brother falling figure that was growing further from him, all in slow motion it seemed. Raph smiled lovingly, reassuringly up as his brothers that were steadily getting smaller and farther away. He didn't know how close he was to the street, but after he had given his brothers his final goodbye, he slid his eyes closed. Hence, he didn't see his older brother grab ahold of Michelangelo as he was finally able to pull him over the edge of the building. He didn't see his brothers tear streaked faces twist as emotional turmoil and torment overcame their senses, he only heard their screams.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPHHHHAAAEEEELLLL!"

.

.

.

He then knew no more.

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 **So, as of now, this is just a one-shot.**

 **But if you want another chapter about either Leo, Mike and Donnie going down to find Raph's body or them going down there to find his body, only to realize he's still alive...? Then I will be happy to provide another chapter and make this into a short story thingy.**


	2. Life Is Bittersweet - Sad Ending (Death)

Leonardo went frozen after he had successfully pulled his baby brother up onto the roof. He didn't really feel anything after both he and Michelangelo had shrieked after their brother had fell, deciding to sacrifice himself for Mikey. The feeling, it was just… _numbness_. That's all he could describe it to be. Detachment. The voice in the back of Leo's head provided him with the sentence they had heard their genius brother say too often for everyone's liking. 'It's shock. He's going into shock.' The moving mental picture of his immediate younger brother falling away from him replayed over and over in his head. He remembered Raphael's parting words filled with so much remorse and pain for his brothers, not for himself and the consequences of what he was about to do, but the last few moments of Raph's time with them had been spent regretting the emotional pain he would be putting his brothers through for doing what he was about to do. Their pain. _Not his own_.

It was that insight that brought everything back to him. He could now hear Michelangelo's anguished, screaming cries. He saw their baby brother try desperately to get to the edge of the roof, for he was still locked in Leonardo's death grip. But Leo knew what would be awaiting him. The sight of his younger brother's lifeless body smashed into the pavement below was one he knew he could never let Michelangelo experience. So he refused to let Mikey get what he wanted, instead he pulled his baby brother to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly and securely around his shaking shoulders as he stared straight ahead.

Donatello had finally gotten rid of the rest of the seeming endless reinforcements and turned to find his three brothers. But only found two across the roof from him. Running over, he jogged up beside Leo, and seeing his brother's pin point sized, shaking pupils, alarm made its way to the front seat in his head. Falling to his knees, in front of Leo, but to Michelangelo's shell, it was then that he recognized to be shaking and barely auditable cries coming from the youngest. Now thoroughly concerned, he placed his hands on Leo's shoulders, but getting no response, shook him a little.

"Leo? What's wrong? What's the matter?" Leo seemed to snap out of his funk then and his shaky gaze traveled to Donatello's. Looking around, Don also gathered that Raphael was nowhere in sight. Looking back at Leo and feeling dread rise, he asked the feared question.

"Leo…where's Raph?" At that sentence Leo's eyes started to fill with tears as he clenched his teeth tightly. Michelangelo gave an agonized sob in response.

"H-He…" Leo breathed out unsteadily, trying to fight his rising emotions to form a single, coherent sentence.

"What? He what? Leo, where is Raphael?" Donatello couldn't keep the rising panic from his voice this time.

"H-He…l-let go." Donatello's mouth opened then shut, then opened again as his pupils shrank to the size of pennies as he took in this information.

"Raph…he, no! Raph couldn't of… _no_!" Jumping to his feet, Donatello took off to the fire escape behind them. He paid no mind to trying to remain quiet as he flew down the stairs, hearing his eldest brother yelling his name and two more pairs of footsteps following him from above, evidence that both Leo and Mike were right on his tail. Soon, Don found his feet on the pavement of the side alley as he took off around the side of the tall building. Only to slide to a complete stop at the sight that greeted him.

Leo and Mikey were still descending the second flight of stairs, totally disregarding the last set as they flew over the railing, landing easily despite the height they had just jumped when a scream pushed them even faster around the corner, before they too skid to a full stop in shock.

" _Raphie_! _No_!"

Donatello was sprinting towards the unmoving form of his older brother, before sliding to his knees beside him. Michelangelo and Leonardo were not far behind, only to almost trip in horror when they got close enough to see the extent of the damage their brother has sustained. Donatello's hands hovered over his immediate older brother's body, for he didn't know what to do or where to even start. He didn't want to injure his brother further or cause him even more pain, if he was even alive to begin with. It looked as if Raph had landed on his shell, blood was everywhere. Donnie placed his fingers on Raphael's throat, searching for a pulse. He gave a choked sob when he found none and immediately started chest compressions. Leonardo took his place by Raph's head, touching their lips together and providing air when it was needed. Michelangelo was at a loss, not knowing what to do and not wanting to get in the way of his brothers.

Instead, he grabbed Raphael's limp hand, and about crushed it in his terrified grasp, watching his brother work in front of him.

"Raph, Raphie… _please_ ," Donatello whimpered after he checked for a pulse a second time and came up with nothing, beginning CPR once again. Michelangelo crawled up to his brother, and careful to not bother and making sure to stay out of Leo's and Donnie's way, buried his head in Raph's neck as the other two continued their separate jobs, choking on his whimpered cries.

"Come on, Raph, breathe!" Leonardo encouraged his younger brother as he provided him with oxygen yet again. Tears threatened to fall when Donatello found no pulse for the third time. When Don's hand went to cover his face as sobs racked his body, Leo shook his head in denial. Raph wasn't…he just couldn't be...

Mikey burrowed further into Raph's neck, his fingers still gripping his brother's hand in his own, as loud, tormented cries afflicted his own figure at the unspoken truth. Leo looked from one brother to the next before settling on his immediate younger brother's unmoving body.

" _No_ …" Reaching out, Leonardo cupped his brother's cheek with his shaking hand as tears slid down his face before he repeated that single word over and over again as Donatello pulled Michelangelo from their deceased brother and instead into his own strong arms. Moving so his figure was bending over his sibling, both of Leonardo's hands went to his brother's face this time.

"Come on, open your eyes! _Please_ Raphael!" Leo shook his brother gently, the denial strong in his system. Leonardo watched for any movement, trying to ignore his two brothers' cries a few feet away. When no response was given, Leo couldn't stop the emotional turmoil or the way his face twisted along with the unconceivable pain that seemed to flood his body, heart and soul as he placed his forehead to his pale brother's.

"I know I've made my slipups when it came to you, but please, _please_ Raphie, I promise I'll be a better brother to you…just come back, just _please_ , _please_ don't leave me," Leo murmured, cried and screamed his fair share of pleas, promises and even threats as he gathered his brother in his arms, but nothing changed the fact that his brother was gone. He knew that. Leonardo knew that no matter how many things he promised, how many times he pleaded or even threatened his unresponsive brother, for he knew he was too late in the end. His younger brother, one third of his world, was gone.


End file.
